Automotive vehicles, such as pickup trucks, are commonly equipped with a cargo box or bed that may be used to transport various items such as motorcycles, all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), four-wheelers (quads), garden and lawn tractors and other items. Heavy items such as these typically require the use of a loading ramp to assist with the loading and unloading of each item, such as an ATV, into and out of the cargo box of the pickup truck. Truck operators typically employ wood planks or aftermarket ramps of sufficient strength to support the weight of the item being loaded. Aftermarket ramps are commercially available in many forms and made of materials, such as aluminum, steel and composites, and typically come in single or multi-piece pairs, often fixed or hingedly connected, and may have many different surface treatments to provide traction.
Conventional loading ramps typically have tips at one end that sit on the tailgate of the pickup truck and the opposite end rests on the ground. Many ramps are equipped with tether straps to secure the ramp relative to the vehicle. Straps may be cumbersome and are susceptible to being cut or lost. Additionally, conventional ramps typically need to be secured or stored and may be prone to theft if left unsecured in a cargo area. Further, conventional ramps are often stored off the vehicle which may make the ramp inaccessible and inconvenient to the vehicle operator. Additionally, cargo boxes typically have fixed height side walls, which define a limited cargo carrying capacity.
It is desirable to provide for modular loading ramps that are easy to use on a vehicle without drawbacks associated with the conventional ramps and that may be conveniently stored on the vehicle and easily made available to a user. It is further desirable to provide for a modular cargo box that is extendable to allow retention of cargo items within a heighted box.